The Town FilesCharter Oak, Iowa
City in Crawford County · population 535 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $77,700
- Household income
- $53,042
- Jan low / Jul high
- 9° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 31 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 20
- Median age
- 43.4
Charter Oak is a city of 535 people in Crawford County, Iowa. The median home is worth $77,700, below the typical Iowa town ($156,300). It ranks quieter than 96% of Iowa towns, better for retirees than 88% of Iowa towns, easier by car than 73% of Iowa towns.
How Charter Oak ranks
Percentile among Iowa towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Iowa towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Charter Oak is worth $77,700, below the typical Iowa town ($156,300). Homes cost about 1.5 times the median household income of $53,042, which is more affordable than 93% of Iowa towns. Median rent is $1,050 a month. 63.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Charter Oak | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $77,700 | $156,300 |
| Median rent | $1,050 | $820 |
| Median household income | $53,042 | $69,254 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.5× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 63.7% | 77.1% |
| Median year built | 1938 | 1962 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Charter Oak
| People | Charter Oak | Typical Iowa town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.4 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 29.1% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 27.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 7.6% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.6% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 12.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.9% | — |
| Work from home | 1.5% | 7.1% |
| Average commute | 22.4 min | 21.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 83.1% | 88.5% |
Weather in Charter Oak
July highs average 84.0°F and January lows 8.9°F. About 32.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 30.5 inches of snow (typical Iowa town: 32.5 in). Expect about 20 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 156 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Charter Oak since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Iowa town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on June 16, 1992 about 7.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on December 15, 2021.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 28 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on April 19, 2023.
Severe weather in Crawford County since 1996
Crawford County has been included in 23 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| May 21, 2025 | Winter Storm | DR-4870: Severe Winter Storm |
| May 14, 2024 | Tornado | DR-4779: Severe Storms And Tornadoes |
| March 23, 2020 | Biological | DR-4483: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3480: Covid-19 |
| March 23, 2019 | Flood | DR-4421: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Crawford County
Crawford County had 6,524 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $53,067 a year. Unemployment was 4.8% in 2023; in Charter Oak itself the ACS puts it at 9.1%.
Public schools in Charter Oak
2 public schools with 171 students, about 10.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charter Oak-Ute Elementary School | PK-5 | 110 | 7.9 |
| Charter Oak-Ute Junior High School | 6-8 | 61 | 20.3 |
Towns near Charter Oak
- Schleswig, IA10.2 mi · 830 people · home $163,600
- Mapleton, IA12.4 mi · 1,165 people · home $113,000
- Denison, IA12.7 mi · 8,373 people · home $150,200
- Dunlap, IA14.9 mi · 1,038 people · home $139,900
- Battle Creek, IA17.2 mi · 700 people · home $73,800
- Ida Grove, IA19.9 mi · 2,051 people · home $94,900
- Manilla, IA21.9 mi · 775 people · home $88,300
- Woodbine, IA23.7 mi · 1,625 people · home $168,900
Charter Oak questions
Is Charter Oak, Iowa a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Charter Oak scores better for retirees than 88% of Iowa towns and quieter than 96%. 29.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.4).
How much does a house cost in Charter Oak?
The median owner-occupied home in Charter Oak is valued at $77,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $53,042, so homes cost about 1.5 times income. Median rent is $1,050 a month.
What is the weather like in Charter Oak?
July highs average 84.0°F and January lows 8.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 32.2 inches of precipitation a year and 30.5 inches of snow.
Does Charter Oak get tornadoes?
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Charter Oak since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on June 16, 1992. The typical Iowa town has had 24.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)